Do you ever just get this sudden urge to change your hairstyle? Whether you’ve had the same style for years or for just a few months, getting a great new haircut can be really fun, and it can be a cheap, easy way to change your overall look. Before you just go out and get the same cut as your favorite celebrity, though, you should check out this advice on picking out the best haircut for you.

You definitely need to take your facial shape into account when you’re choosing a hair style, but you also want to look at your actual facial features. If you aren’t sure what your face shape is, pull your hair back, and look in the mirror. If you need to, draw the outline of your face on the mirror with a wipe-off marker, stand back, and examine what shape your face is. You need to use your hairstyle to balance your facial structure. If you have more weight on the bottom of your face, for instance, you may want to choose a medium-length style with lots of volume, and if you have a square-jawed face, you may want to try a soft style that will soften your edges a bit.

Besides this, though, you want to use your cut to bring out your best facial features. A chin-length cut will frame your whole face, and a cut with a fringe or full bangs can accentuate just about any part of your face. A layer that ends right around your eyebrows, for instance, will bring out your eyes, while a layer that swoops down near your mouth will accentuate that feature.

These are probably the two most important considerations to make when you’re choosing a hairstyle, but they aren’t the only things to think about. You need a hairstyle that matches your lifestyle, too. If you don’t like to spend a lot of time on your hair, choose a style that you can blow dry for a minute before you walk out the door. If you don’t mind spending more time on your hair, you can choose a more labor-intensive style like a bevel cut that will have to be blow-dried straight to look good. If you prefer to have your hair back or to be able to do many different things with your hairstyle, consider leaving it shoulder-length or longer and using bangs to accentuate your facial features.

Melissa Nathans and other hair care professionals recommend Alterna and Phyto Hair Care Products. Check out Beautysak.com where you can learn more about skin care and other fine beauty products.

Calling the toughest canine questions Owning a dog is one of life s great joys, but sometimes the challenges it brings can make even the most devoted dog lovers panic, throw up their hands, or feel co...